“You can’t make something out of nothing. If you want to keep your organic matter high, you need a living cover crop that’s going to make something for you…” — Bill Haddad
A strong interest in conservation got Bill interested in no-till in the early 1970s and led to his employment at Chevron. Shortly after moving to Ohio in 1973, Bill began working with other no-till pioneers and researchers in the area, such as Glover Triplett, Don Myers, David VanDoren, and Jim Beuerlein. In their conversation, they discuss early Tye, Great Plains, and Melroe drills; the challenges Pioneer Seeds encountered in attempting to develop no-till corn, and why 1-on-1 consultation with producers has been so important in getting no-till to catch on.
For more on this topic, see “YOUR NO-TILL HISTORY: World’s Longest Continuing No-Till Plots at Ohio State Hit 60 Years”
Plus, they discuss successful cover cropping, using a manure dragline like a roller, and much more.
P.S. There’s lots more great no-till stories and history in Frank Lessiter’s new book, From Maverick to Mainstream: A History of No-Till Farming. Check it out here.
The No-Till Influencers & Innovators podcast series is brought to you by Martin Industries.
Our customers believe that Martin-Till®️ products provide an excellent return on their investment. We know this because a large percentage of them are repeat customers since the beginning in 1991. Our planter attachments help make it possible to plant into higher levels of residue and moisture. Higher levels of mulch means less erosion, improved soil tilth and fertility, which can reduce production costs. Martin Till’s goal is to increase yields and save you time and money. We hope you find something from our product offerings of row cleaner, UMO’s, closing wheels systems and recently added concaves that will make this year’s planting & harvesting go better for you. After all, you deserve the best!
Intro Music: Adam Selzer - True North
Interlude Music: Alialujah Choir - Little Picture (Instrumental)